by Alex Kennedy, USA TODAY Sports

by Alex Kennedy, USA TODAY Sports

MIAMI - Chris "Birdman" Andersen has never been on an NBA championship winning team. And until a few months ago, he probably thought he might never get that chance.

Five months ago, Andersen was an unrestricted free agent, bouncing back and forth between his homes in Texas and Colorado and wondering if he would play in the NBA again. The 34-year-old was coming off of knee surgery and legal issues that threatened his career after 11 seasons in the league, and he wasn't even watching NBA games at that point.

"I wasn't watching basketball then, bro," Andersen told USA TODAY Sports. "Nope. I was out in the country. I was hunting hogs, messing around and hanging with the homeboys. That's it."

Then, in January, the Miami Heat called Andersen and offered him a 10-day contract. He jumped at the opportunity, realizing that this was a chance to revitalize his career and compete for a championship.

"It was a call," Andersen said with a smile. "They wanted me to come in to bring energy and defense off of the bench and provide a little spark. That's what I'm here for."

When Miami brought Andersen in, he had to get into playing shape.

"I didn't have the opportunity to work out like I normally do during the summers because I had knee surgery so when I came in I was probably around 50 percent basketball shape," Andersen said. "It took me a while to get to the point where I'm at. I put in the hard work, lifting weights a little bit more, riding the bike a little bit more and doing some extra sprints after games, stuff like that."

He has been one of Miami's best role players in the 2013 postseason, averaging 7.1 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 15.3 minutes.

During the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers, Andersen missed just two shots in the series, finishing 16-of-18 from the field.

Andersen hasn't even had a chance to look back on his amazing journey and it's not something that he's going to focus on until after the season is over.

"I ain't got no time to reflect," Andersen said. "All I'm thinking about is the next game, how I need to get better and how I can help my team out. â?¦ Everybody keeps asking me those questions, but I'm really not in that realm right now. I'm more focused on trying to beat the San Antonio Spurs. Once it's all over with and I have a couple of days, some time to actually reflect, then I'll look back on the journey of being a free agent and now being in the Finals. I'll look back on it then."

Even though he has only been in Miami since January, he has fit right in with the Heat and grown close to his teammates. While Birdman may be viewed as out of place in some cities, he fits in around Miami, with his mohawk and heavily tattooed body.

"In Miami, anything goes," Heat forward Shane Battier said with a laugh. "You can wear whatever you want. You can drive whatever you want. Bird is one of the guys. He's one of the guys.

"It seems pretty obvious, but he brings amazing energy. For a team that's talented, we're not the highest motor team, but he's a high-motor guy and he really helps us in that area."

When Andersen was trying to learn the system and adjust to his new team in Miami, LeBron James is one of the players who helped him the most. Andersen said the way James carries himself off the court is impressive.

"For being the athlete that he is and a supreme being, he's really down to earth," Andersen said. "He has a great personality and he's just really cool to be around. He makes everything more the relaxing, especially in these high-intensity atmospheres. The way he is, others can relax and it allows you to focus a little bit more. â?¦ His attitude and the way that he carries himself kind of spreads around. We all pick up on it and it keeps us from getting down. It keeps us motivated and keeps us positive."

In the NBA Finals, Andersen is coming off of the bench and matching up against the Spurs' big men, including Tim Duncan. Andersen knows Duncan's game extremely well since they have been going head-to-head for years, and he really respects the future Hall of Famer.

"There really ain't nothing to learn [about] him, I've been playing against him pretty much my whole career because I was on the West Coast," Andersen said. "We played against him four times a year. He's just a very skilled player, very talented and one of the best post players to play the game. You try to guard him one way, he's going to go the other. He's a great passer out of the post. He's just a good player. You just have to step up, take the challenge and guard him the best that you can."

Even though the Heat lost Game 1, Andersen is confident that the team will bounce back.

"We're focused," Andersen said. "Our mindset is just to keep doing what we're supposed to be doing and that's running the floor, rebounding the ball, taking care of the ball and having more focus at the end of the game. â?¦ As far as the stats, we played pretty good. It was just some of those loose balls that we couldn't get our hands on and we turned the ball over at the end part of the game.

"You just have to accept the challenges at hand and the task at hand, and that's trying to beat the Spurs and win the championship. You have to give it everything you got. Nobody likes to lose it. To be in this limelight, you have to take advantage."

Andersen has always been a player who exceeded expectations. He attended Blinn College in Brenham, Texas, and went undrafted in 1998. Then, he had stints in China and the Development League before joining an NBA roster, becoming the first player to be called up to the NBA from the D-League.

Andersen's career has been one incredible, unexpected journey, and these last few months have been no exception.